Conversations about trauma, resilience, and compassion. How do we genuinely support individuals who have experienced trauma and build inclusive and safe environments? Trauma significantly affects the mental and physical health of those who experience it, and personal resiliency is only part of the solution. The rest lies in addressing organizational, systemic, and social determinants of health and wellness, and making the effort to genuinely understand the impact of trauma. Here, we ask and ...
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Manya Chylinski Podcasts
Welcome to The Empathic Leader Podcast—where leadership meets heart! Launching February 25th in the evening, this brand-new podcast dives deep into empathy, leadership, and personal growth—because great leaders aren’t just smart, they’re emotionally intelligent too! Hosted by Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller, a powerhouse with 20+ years of leadership experience, two doctorates (yes, including one on empathy in leadership!), an MBA, and expert certifications in change management & DEI. She’s h ...
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142: Redefining Performance, with Radhika Dutt
33:06
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33:06Send us a text What if the performance metrics we've relied on for decades are actually undermining our success? Radhika Dutt, entrepreneur, product leader, and author of Radical Product Thinking, challenges conventional leadership wisdom by revealing why traditional goals often backfire and introduces a compassionate approach to leadership through…
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Fighting Burnout in Health Care with Nurse Entrepreneur Melanie Boulerice (E33)
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36:50‘Burnout’ isn’t just a buzzword in health care, it’s a crisis. In Episode 33 of "The Empathic Leader" podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with registered nurse, entrepreneur, and founder of the Nomadic Nurse Network, Melanie Boulerice. Together, they explore the realities of health care systems in both the U.S. and Quebec, Canada. Pl…
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141: Leadership with Heart, with Nada Nasserdeen
30:21
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30:21Send us a text Discover why emotional intelligence might be the missing puzzle piece in your leadership strategy. Nada Nasserdeen, founder and CEO of Rise Up For You, unpacks the critical balance between compassion and maintaining high standards in today's workplace. She reveals the startling truth that 80% of business success depends not on techni…
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Signs of a Toxic Workplace & How Empathic Leadership Shapes Work Culture (E32)
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18:38Welcome to Episode 32 of “The Empathic Leader” podcast with Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller. In this solo episode, we dive deep into the realities of toxic work environments—what they actually are, how to recognize the signs early, and most importantly, what to do if you find yourself stuck in one. Too often, terms like “toxic workplace” or “gaslig…
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140: Leading Through Compassion, with Hussein Hallak
35:25
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35:25Send us a text What if everything you thought you knew about leadership was based on an illusion? Hussein Hallak takes us on a remarkable journey from his childhood in Syria—where entrepreneur wasn't even a word in Arabic—to becoming a successful company founder who learned the hard way that command-and-control leadership doesn't work. Hussein admi…
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From Cancer Survivor to Global Leader: Vandana Puranik On Creating Communities For Women (E31)
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39:37In the 31st episode of The Empathic Leader podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller interviews Vandana Puranik—a powerhouse marketer, strategist, and bestselling author who has worked with iconic brands like Johnson & Johnson, Hershey’s, and Campbell’s. Vandana’s story is one of resilience and reinvention. After being diagnosed with breast cancer a…
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139: Scaling Without Losing Your Soul, with Kenny Lange
32:21
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32:21Send us a text How do you build an organization that grows without losing its soul? Kenny Lange believes the answer lies in compassionate leadership—but not in the way most people think. Kenny challenges the false dichotomy between organizational success and staying true to principles and argues that accountability represents one of the highest for…
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How To Instill Real Empathy In Your Organization (E30)
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15:04Empathy isn’t just a buzzword. It’s the glue and accelerant for real business transformation. In Episode 30 of “The Empathic Leader” podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller shares practical, actionable ways leaders can actually embed empathy into their culture and not just talk about it. From the importance of modeling behavior and being visible t…
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138: The ROI of Kindness: Why Compassion Drives Business Success, with Tara May
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32:41Send us a text What's the true value of kindness in business? According to Tara May, CEO of Aspiritech, compassion is a powerful driver of innovation, revenue, and profit. Our conversation explores the ROI of kindness, a concept that challenges traditional views by connecting human-centered leadership directly to business outcomes. Tara shares comp…
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Boston Marathon Survivor Manya Chylinski on Turning Trauma into Mental Health Advocacy (E29)
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37:29She Survived the Boston Marathon Bombing, Now She's Changing the Mental Health Landscape After Tragedy In this gripping episode of "The Empathic Leader" podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller speaks with Manya Chylinski, a survivor of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombing who turned personal trauma into national advocacy. Though Manya walked away with…
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137: From Local to Global: How Crisis Response Shapes Our World, with Heidi Steinecker
32:11
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32:11Send us a text When crisis hits, what separates exceptional leaders from the rest? Dr. Heidi Steinecker draws from her remarkable career as Deputy Director of the California Department of Public Health and US Citizen Diplomat to reveal the unexpected qualities that define crisis leadership. "What will do the least amount of harm?" This guiding ques…
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From Addictions Counselor to Executive Coach: Samantha Kris On Shifting To Empathic Leadership (E28)
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36:09In this episode of “The Empathic Leader,” Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with bestselling author, speaker, and reinvention expert Samantha Kris for an honest, inspiring conversation about the evolution from manager to empathic leader. Samantha shares her unconventional journey. She started from addictions counselor to corporate executive…
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Send us a text No one will listen to you and really embrace you unless they know that you're there with the right intentions. Ali Uren, founder of Kiikstart, challenges conventional thinking about what truly drives workplace success. The episode introduces Ali's powerful concept of the kindness bank--a framework where leaders make daily deposits th…
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Leadership Red Flags vs. Beige Flags: What to Watch for in the Workplace (E27)
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22:16In Episode 27 of "The Empathic Leader" podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller returns for a powerful solo episode that every leader, team member, and aspiring changemaker should hear. This time, she dives deep into the difference between beige flags and red flags in leadership, borrowing a term often used in dating and applying it insightfully to…
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Send us a text When a disability care organization struggled with high turnover and poor morale, today's guest, Karen Ansen, suggested flipping its organizational chart to put frontline caregivers at the top. The organization transformed its culture and operations by asking employees directly what they needed. Karen is an employment lawyer and lead…
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From PhD to Purpose: The Culture Shock of Leaving Academia & Redefining Success with Don Back (E26)
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46:31What really happens when a highly educated person leaves academia—not just in career, but in identity? In this deeply reflective episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with executive coach, leadership mentor, and founder of The PhD Academy, Don Beck, to unpack the emotional and cultural dissonance that comes with transitioning from the …
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134: Crisis Response Essentials, with Jeff Gorter
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33:34Send us a text Leaders tend to bifurcate, going to one extreme or the other. Some become hyper-competent but emotionally disconnected. Others display overwhelming empathy without direction. Crisis response expert Jeff Gorter reveals that effective leadership during traumatic events requires a delicate balance of compassion and competence. Drawing f…
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‘The Empathic Leader’ Book: The Writing Journey | Part 3/3 (E25)
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28:36This episode marks the third and final part of our special 3-part series diving into the heart of the book ‘The Empathic Leader’ which officially launched at #1 on Amazon last week! In this series finale, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller walks us through Chapter 10 of the book, unpacking a critical framework for evaluating empathy in leadership: bei…
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133: Invisible Wounds and the Workplace, from The Breakout podcast
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34:09Send us a text When tested, we don't rise to the level of our aspirations. We fall back to the level of our training, habits, and policies. This episode originally aired on The Breakout podcast, where I joined hosts Dr. Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther to talk about trauma, recovery, resilience, and how society fails invisible victims of traumatic e…
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‘The Empathic Leader’ Book: The Writing Journey | Part 2/3 (E24)
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31:07"What if I can't relate because I haven't been there?" In Episode 24 of The Empathic Leader podcast, we continue our special 3-part series exploring the behind-the-scenes journey of writing the book The Empathic Leader—and this one dives deep. This episode is personal, raw, and necessary. We talk about what happens when you work under toxic leaders…
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132: What We Truly Owe Each Other, with Alham Saadat
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32:04Send us a text In this first in an occasional series on what we owe each other after collective traumas, bioethicist Alham Saadat shares unique insights from her experiences as a refugee and her work in bioethics at the Broad Institute. Alham offers insights into the obligations we have toward one another both during crisis and in everyday life. "W…
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‘The Empathic Leader’ Book: The Writing Journey | Part 1/3 (E23)
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29:03In this powerful 3-part interview series, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller opens up about the deeply personal and professional journey behind her upcoming book ‘The Empathic Leader’, launching July 15. In this Part 1 episode, Dr. Melissa sits down with Jesse Sussman—consultant, editor, and creative collaborator on the book—to unpack the emotional an…
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131: A Great Business Needs Genuine Human Connection, with Rob Gallaher
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32:55Send us a text Ever noticed how the most successful leaders somehow manage to build thriving businesses while maintaining genuine human connections? Rob Gallaher discovered this secret the hard way. After years of working excessive hours, micromanaging his team, and watching his personal life deteriorate, he knew something had to change. Rob joins …
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Beyond the Myths: How Empathetic Leaders Can Overcome Bias and Stereotypes (E22)
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20:01In this episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller breaks down the subconscious shortcuts—called heuristics—that often lead to bias and stereotyping in leadership. Learn the 4 stages of stereotype formation and how to disrupt them by asking two simple but powerful questions: ✅ Is it valid? ✅ Is it useful? If you’re serious about leading with clarity,…
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130: Leaders With Heart, with Fran Benjamin
28:15
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28:15Send us a text What happens when we acknowledge our full humanity in the workplace? Fran Benjamin, Managing Partner at GoodWorks Consulting, delivers a masterclass in organizational transformation that challenges longstanding assumptions about leadership. Fran offers a definition of compassion: "that moment in which one can no longer distinguish th…
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Emotional Intelligence in Leadership: Sherry Winn’s Olympic Journey to Empowered Teams (E21)
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34:58In this powerful episode of The Empathic Leader podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller sits down with Sherry Winn—two-time Olympian, national championship-winning coach, and internationally acclaimed leadership speaker—to explore what it really takes to lead with both strength and heart. Sherry shares her extraordinary journey from elite athlete …
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129: Unconditional Love as a Business Strategy, with Meg Brown
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31:41Send us a text When you think of manufacturing environments, compassionate leadership and unconditional love probably aren't the first concepts that come to mind. Yet at Cambridge Air Solutions, these principles form the backbone of a thriving culture that's delivering remarkable business results. Meg Brown, Chief Operating Officer, reveals the sur…
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From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Doug Crowe on AI, Personal Branding & Leading with Heart (E20)
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37:06In this episode of ‘The Empathic Leader,’ Doug Crowe—author, media veteran, and business growth strategist—shares how he went from a shy student to a confident leader by prioritizing human connection over tech and titles. Doug opens up about losing everything in 2008 and how rediscovering his own voice helped him rebuild his life—and help others do…
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128: Stories as Lifeblood: Unlocking Human Connection with James Warren
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29:23Send us a text "We have more information than ever and less knowledge. We talk at each other more than ever and we're less connected." James Warren, founder and CEO of Share More Stories, takes us on a journey through the transformative power of stories as the lifeblood of the human experience. He reveals how storytelling creates three essential be…
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Leading Through Empathy Fatigue: On Boundaries, Empathy Complexity & Self Empathy (E19)
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21:06In this episode, we dive deep into the reality of empathy fatigue—what it really is, what causes it, and how leaders can protect themselves from burnout without abandoning empathy. Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller unpacks the emotional labor leaders face daily and explains why it’s not empathy that burns us out, but rather the lack of boundaries, re…
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Self-Sabotage in Leadership: Expert Dr. Philip Agrios On Identifying and Overcoming It (E18)
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37:59In this episode of ‘The Empathic Leader’, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller talks with Dr. Phillip Agrios, a self-sabotage expert, about the biological trait that keeps people stuck—even at the top. He shares how to identify your sabotaging pattern, apply your personal “antidote,” and lead yourself and others with clarity. Perfect for leaders, entrep…
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127: How Good Leaders Make Better Choices, with Kevin McCarthy
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29:25Send us a text Have you ever wondered why good people sometimes make terrible decisions? Kevin McCarthy lived this question when he unwittingly became involved in what turned out to be Washington state's largest fraud case—an experience that landed him in federal prison for 33 months despite having no knowledge of the crime. Rather than becoming bi…
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126: From Trauma to Resilience, from The Security Circle podcast
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58:43Send us a text What happens when disaster strikes a community and the ripple effects touch everyone differently? This episode originally aired on The Security Circle podcast, where I joined host Yoyo Hamblen to talk about trauma, recovery, and resilience. I'm sharing it here because the conversation gets to the heart of what we're exploring on Note…
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Leading With Empathy In The Age Of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) (E17)
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21:31Are We Trusting AI Too Much? In this episode of The Empathic Leader, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller explores the growing role of AI in our lives—and the urgent need for human-centered leadership in response. From the illusion of AI empathy to the dangers of cognitive decline in language models, we unpack why discernment, emotional intelligence, an…
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125: Seeing People as Humans, with Rob Lion
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29:47Send us a text Have you ever wondered why inspiring speeches from leaders don't always translate to motivated teams? In this conversation with Rob Lion, we discuss how leaders often forget that employees don't necessarily love the organization the same way they do. While executives might focus on purpose and vision, many employees are primarily con…
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Letting Go of Blame, Shame & Guilt: Marsha Vanwynsberghe’s Story of Healing & Leadership (E16)
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40:27Ever felt like your most difficult moments might actually hold your greatest power? In this episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller chats with Marsha Vanwynsberghe—speaker, coach, and all-around truth-teller—about how vulnerability, healing, and self-leadership helped her turn chaos into purpose. We talk about letting go of guilt, the power of sha…
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124: Your Leadership Superpower Isn't What You Think It Is, with Melissa Robinson-Winemiller
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33:02Send us a text What makes the difference between leaders who inspire innovation and those whose teams merely go through the motions? The answer might surprise you. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller, author, speaker, and leadership coach, reveals that empathy—far from being soft or unnecessary—actually requires tremendous courage and drives measurable bus…
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Empathy, Sympathy, Compassion: Why the Differences Matter More Than You Think (E15)
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21:22Empathy vs. Sympathy vs. Compassion – What’s the Difference? These three emotions are often confused, but understanding their differences is crucial for leaders, caregivers, and anyone wanting deeper, more effective relationships. In this episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller explores how empathy connects us, how compassion moves us to act, and …
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123: Walking the Ridgeline: Balancing Ego and Humility in Leadership with Gary Cohen
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32:28Send us a text Have you ever considered that your leadership style might be trapped in patterns established when you were five years old? That's just one of the eye-opening perspectives shared by Gary Cohen, managing partner and co-founder of CO2 Partners, in this thought-provoking exploration of compassionate leadership. Gary introduces us to the …
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Connection Over Clicks: Marketing with Empathy w/ Sophie Lechner (E14)
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33:42What if marketing felt genuine? In episode 14 of The Empathic Leader, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller chats with LinkedIn strategist and author Sophie Lechner about how empathy and real connection can totally change how we do business. We dive into her multicultural roots, why human-centered marketing beats tactics, and how coaches can protect thei…
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122: Compassionate Leadership in Uncertain Times, with Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther
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33:21Send us a text What if the secret to effective leadership wasn't having all the answers, but rather creating space for genuine human connection? In this enlightening conversation with Keri Ohlrich and Kelly Guenther, co-founders of the Abbracci Group, we explore the transformative power of compassion in the workplace. The dialogue begins with a fun…
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What Stops People From Using Empathy–And How To Bring It Back (E13)
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22:04In this episode of ‘The Empathic Leader’ Podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller dives into a crucial topic: What blocks empathy? We’ll explore the common barriers — from misunderstanding empathy itself, to anger, fear, toxic environments, and even empathy fatigue. Plus, I’ll share personal stories and practical advice on how to protect your empat…
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121: The Business Case for Compassion, with Cynthia Pong
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33:19Send us a text What happens when a leader admits they've made a mistake? This vulnerability forms the bedrock of trust in modern organizations. And trust is in critically short supply. The psychological contract between employers and employees has fundamentally fractured, leaving many professionals feeling disposable rather than valued. In this con…
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Carmen Paredes on Leading Boldly & Empathically as a Woman of Color in the Face of Bias (E12)
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36:07In this episode, Dr. Melissa chats with leadership powerhouse Carmen Paredes about what it really takes to lead well. From climbing the corporate ladder as a woman of color to mastering empathy and emotional smarts, Carmen drops truth bombs on self-awareness, compassion, and holding it all together without losing your edge. If you want to lead like…
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120: Are Your Employees Truly Safe to Be Human? With Monika Guzek
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29:53Send us a text How does play transform workforce dynamics? Monika Guzek, founder of JoyFlow, challenges conventional workplace wisdom with a refreshing take on organizational resilience. From jumping off a 12-meter waterfall despite her fear of heights to teaching CEOs the power of play, Monica embodies the change-embracing spirit she cultivates in…
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Self-Empathy: Connecting & Understanding Yourself (E11)
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21:48In this episode of ‘The Empathic Leader’ Podcast, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller explores one of the most crucial and overlooked aspects of emotional intelligence: self-empathy. Drawing from insights she shared in her upcoming TEDx talk, she breaks down what self-empathy really means, how it differs from just "feeling your feelings," and why it's …
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119: Leading Through Crisis with Joy, with Richard Sheridan
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37:27Send us a text What happens when your company faces a crisis? For Richard Sheridan, CEO of Menlo Innovations, the answer wasn't found in emergency protocols or contingency plans. It was deeply embedded in the culture of joy his organization had built over decades. When COVID-19 struck and Menlo lost 60% of its revenue, their collaborative in-person…
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Unlocking Transformative Leadership: Dr. DeAngelo Richardson On Being A Multicultural Leader With Empathy (E10)
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37:22Join Dr. DeAngelo Richardson, founder of Different Reasons Inc., in a powerful discussion with Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller on empathy and leadership. DeAngelo shares his personal journey, the impact of transformative leadership, and the importance of genuine human connections in an increasingly digital world. Learn how empathy, self-awareness, …
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118: Whole Person Management, with Malvika Jethmalani
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32:04Send us a text Today's workplace demands whole-person management: Employees no longer check their emotions and personal challenges at the door. Guest Malvika Jethmalani, three-time CHRO and co-founder of Atvis Group, talks about the three-step employee listening strategy that forms the foundation of compassionate leadership: listening to understand…
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Become A TEDx Speaker in 2025: How To Apply, Write A Speech, & Prepare For The Talk (E09)
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21:53Ever wondered what it really takes to land a TEDx talk? It’s not just about having a great idea—it’s about persistence, preparation, and the right strategy. In this episode, Dr. Melissa Robinson-Winemiller shares her experience and tips on becoming a TEDx speaker, highlighting the following: Nailing the TEDx Application – How she crafted her messag…
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